


Breaking It

by Doyle



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-15
Updated: 2009-11-15
Packaged: 2017-10-02 20:12:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doyle/pseuds/Doyle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Somebody has to tell her, and there's nobody else left.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Breaking It

He goes because somebody has to tell her, and because there's nobody else left, and because this is as good a dress-rehearsal as any for the day when he'll have to give this speech to Buffy. Keeps it simple, sticks to the we-fought-we-lost version of events, throws in a couple of platitudes about Angel saving the world, going down the way he wanted. He's surprised he can sing his praises without the words sticking in his throat or coming out tangled in sarcasm and barbed wire.

He waits with her on her porch as she cries it out, clumsy hand on her back and his attention a world away. Thinking of another night, another girl and her grief.

"The sun's coming up in an hour," Nina finally says, dragging the back of her hand across her eyes. "I got used to finding out the times every day. Sunset and dawn. Guess I don't have to, now, do I?"

"No," he says. "Right, then. I should…"

She says, "My sister, my niece, they're not here. Do you want to…"

Not sure what she's offering, if she's offering anything at all, he says, "Yeah. All right."

Always, these women, they were always Angel's first - she keeps her eyes closed, doesn't speak, guides him with her hands and her mouth to where she wants him to go. She's pretending he's Angel and it's so familiar he stumbles over her name.


End file.
